Honda Promises 30 Percent Reduction in Carbon Emissions by 2021

It’s always good news when an automaker increases its efforts to stay environmentally friendly, and Tuesday, Honda announced plans to significantly reduce its carbon dioxide output in the next 10 years. “Honda has now set a target to reduce CO2 emissions from its global products by 30 percent by the end of 2020 compared to year 2000 levels,” Honda states in a press release. “Furthermore, in addition to reducing CO2 emissions during production and supply chain, Honda will strengthen its efforts to realize reductions in CO2 emissions through its entire corporate activities.”

Honda’s decision to up its greenness should please environmentalists, but there’s likely an additional upside for consumers. “The benefits could go not only to cleaner air but fatter pocketbooks,” writes USA Today. “That's because CO2 reductions and better fuel economy go hand-in-hand. It's hard to accomplish one without the other.”

The company is already a third of the way toward its goal. Honda says that it “set a goal to reduce global CO2 emissions from use of its motorcycles, automobiles and power products by 10 percent by the end of 2010 compared to year 2000 levels. In 2010, the goal was attained by all products.”

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